Lightweight tent

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a lightweight tent having a sloping roof that overhangs the door and preferably the base of the tent as well at one or both ends. This latter slope allows the tent to be erected using a single supporting member, and provides good ventilation while simultaneously providing good protection from the elements. The lightweight tent is constructed from a waterproof canopy having generally trapezoidal sides joined to a floor that preferably tapers from the front to the rear. Its roof slopes downward from the front to the rear, with at least its front side edges tilting toward the ridgeline at an angle less than ninety degrees.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention generally relates to tents and shelters used inbackpacking and other outdoor activities.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Tents are typically used by backpackers, hikers and others as sheltersduring overnight trips, and need to be as light and compact as possibleto make them easier to carry. Moreover, they need to protect thebackpacker(s) from the weather, and from insects, while also providingadequate ventilation to minimize condensation. Additionally, tents needto be sturdy, and should be fast and easy to erect, preferably using asfew custom poles and stakes as possible.

To date, there are many tents available for use as shelters. Currentlyavailable tents, however, all have trade-offs. Those providing the bestprotection from the environment are, for most backpackers, too heavy.Most lightweight tents, on the other hand, generally do not provideadequate protection on all sides from insects or the elements, e.g.,wind, rain, sleet, hail and snow. And, those tents that do, typicallysuffer from poor ventilation, allowing condensation to collect inside.Accordingly, there exists a need for a tent that better meets therequirements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a lightweight tent having a sloping roof thatoverhangs the front door entrance, and preferably the tent's base atleast at one end, allowing the tent to be erected using a singlesupporting member, such as a pole, while providing good ventilation andfull protection from the elements and insects.

In one embodiment, the tent is constructed from a waterproof canopyhaving generally trapezoidal sides joined to a floor that preferablytapers from the front to the rear. The tent has a roof ridgeline thatslopes downward from the tall front to a shorter rear, thereby forming afunnel shaped region within the tent. This funnel shaped interiormaximizes convective air flow by forcing moisture out a top opening atthe front end as cooler air enters low at the rear end. The roofridgeline is longer than the floor and the front edges of the roof tilttoward the ridgeline at an angle less than ninety degrees allowing theroof to overhang the front door entrance, and preferably the floor aswell. The resulting overhang produces an awning that prevents rain, snowand other elements from entering the tent. Similarly, the rear edges ofthe roof tilt toward the ridgeline, allowing the roof to likewiseoverhang the floor and door at the rear.

The tent includes a front door entrance having a door flap, which isprovided with fasteners, such as zippers on each side, and opens fromthe top down. It can be partially opened to the extent needed to keepout the elements while allowing adequate ventilation of the interior ofthe tent. Also provided is netting which overlaps the flap and extendsvertically downward from the roof to a front end wall for protectingagainst insects. Fasteners, such as zippers, are provided along thesides of the netting to allow entry and exit.

In another embodiment, the tent includes sidewalls to increase theuseable floor space. At the front end, the bottom of the overhang startsat the top of the sidewalls to achieve a more taut structure without theuse of additional stakes. Similarly, the overhang starts at the top ofthe sidewalls at the rear end.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the invention may be obtained byreading the following description in conjunction with the appendeddrawings in which like elements are labeled similarly, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a lightweight tent constructed inaccordance with the principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the lightweight tent of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is side view of the lightweight tent of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the lightweight tent of FIG. 1 with the doorflap partially opened;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of another embodiment of a lightweighttent constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention; and

FIG. 6 is side view of the lightweight tent of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A lightweight tent for use in backpacking and other outdoor activitiesthat maximizes ventilation as well as protection from the elements andinsects, all with a minimal amount of materials and weight, and with aminimal amount of required assembly, is realized by employing a slopingroof that overhangs the door, and preferably the tent's base as well atone or both ends. Additionally, the tent has door flap(s) that open fromthe top down. Importantly, the sloped, overhanging roof allows the tentto be erected using a single supporting member, such as a pole, whileproviding good ventilation and protection from the elements.

Without any loss of generality or applicability for the principles ofthe invention, the preferred embodiment of the lightweight tent isdescribed with a sloping roof ridgeline that is straight. It should beclearly understood, however, that the present invention is equallyapplicable to other roof line shapes, such as catenary roof ridgelines,and the like. Also, the lightweight tent is designed preferably toinclude a floor covering the base of the tent. Although it may bedesigned floorless, to further reduce the weight, such a design would,of course, reduce protection against insects and the elements.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, there is shown a tent, designatedgenerally by numeral 100, having a waterproof canopy 105 made from alightweight, waterproof material, such as spinnaker sail cloth, weighingabout 0.9 oz/yd². A slightly heavier, waterproof material, such as 1.1oz/yd² silicone impregnated nylon can also be used. Although it is moreexpensive, Cuben fiber, weighing only 0.5 oz/yd², is still anotherchoice.

As shown, canopy 105 has generally trapezoidal sides 110A and 110Bextending to the ground. Trapezoidal sides 110A and 110B, are joined tofloor 115 along floor edges 120A and 120B, respectively. The area of theground enclosed by the tent defines the base or ground footprint 115'.Preferably, floor 115 tapers from the front to the rear forming atrapezoid. This creates a generally funnel shaped interior region with atall front end 125 and a shorter rear end 130, defined by thecorresponding sides of canopy 105. The funnel shaped interior of thetent maximizes convective air flow. The so-called “chimney effect”causes warmer air with moisture to be forced out from a top opening atfront end 125 as cooler air enters low at rear end 130.

Tent 100 has a roof 135 defined generally by a roof ridgeline 140defined by trapezoidal sides 110A and 110B. Floor 115 is connected tocanopy 105 by various means, including sewing, heat sealing, gluing orultrasonic welding. Preferably, floor 115 is constructed from a materialsuch as 1.1 oz/yd² silicon nylon. Of course, other suitable fabrics maybe used for greater strength and abrasion resistance or for lighterweight.

To create a taut structure, loops or grommets are sewn along edges 120Aand 120B of the floor or base, in particular at the four base points120′a, 120′b, 120′c and 120′d, and secured to the ground by stakes (notshown for the sake of clarity). Each tent has a front door entrance 145extending preferably from a front end wall 146 to roof ridgeline 140.Roof ridgeline 140 slopes downward from tall front end 125 to shorterrear end 130. The roof overhangs the front of floor 115 as well as frontdoor entrance 145. Front canopy edges 155A and 155B preferably slopedown to base points 120′a and 120′d, respectively, preferably at about30 degrees from vertical. That is, the front canopy edges of the rooftilt toward the ridgeline at an angle less than ninety degrees. Thislatter overhang produces an awning that prevents rain and other elementsfrom entering the tent. Similarly, the roof overhangs floor 115 at rearend 130, protecting it from rain and other elements. Rear canopy edges155′A and 155′B preferably slope to base points 120′b and 120′c,respectively.

The roof should be slanted from front to rear as much as possible tomaximize air flow, but this is constrained by the need to minimizematerial and weight, and the required anthropomorphic space. Thepreferred angle for the sloped roof is about 12 to 15 degrees fromhorizontal. This angle will vary depending upon the overall dimensionschosen for the tent. The tent can also be pitched with its rear endfacing the wind to augment airflow through the tent.

Roof ridgeline 140 is supported by a front guy line 165 that is securedto its end 170 using, for example, a sewn-in loop or grommet, with theguy line then tensioned to a supporting member, such as a pole 175located at, or distal to, end 170. Preferably, guy line 175 is attachedto pole 175 along a line continuous with the ridgeline of the roof. Pole175 can be placed at varying distances from the tent, so as tofacilitate entry. The farther away it is located, the easier it becomesto enter and exit the tent. However, the farther away, the longer thepole and front guy line have to be. Should the pole be lost or damaged,or if it is desired to save the weight of carrying a prefabricated pole,it is possible to secure the guy line to another point higher than thepeak of the ridgeline outside the tent, such as to a tree or rock, or astick fabricated from wood found in the field.

Pole 175 may be constructed, for example, of aluminum, titanium orcarbon fiber composite and, preferably, be made collapsible for compactcarrying. A trekking pole may also be used. Pole 175 may be preventedfrom falling over by attaching one or more guy lines, such as guy line180, to the ground with a stake 185. Because of the sloping roof, shortrear end 130 need not be supported by a pole. Instead, it may besupported by a rear guy line 190 at end 195 using, for example, a loopor grommet, and secured directly to the ground with a stake 200.Alternatively, the guy lines may be secured to trees, rocks, shrubs, andthe like. Once roof ridgeline 140 is supported and tensioned betweenpole 175 and stake 200, and the base points 120′a, b, c and d areattached to stakes, it forms a taut, erect structure.

Referring to FIG. 4, front door entrance 145 includes door netting 205fastened to door side edges 210A and 210B, and extends downward fromridgeline 140 to front end wall 146 for protecting against insects. Doornetting 205 is permanently attached to front end wall 146, by such meansas sewing, gluing, heat sealing or ultrasonic welding. A fasteningmeans, such as a zipper (not shown) is provided along door side edges210A and 210B to allow opening of the netting for entry and exit. A doorflap 215 is also provided, preferably interior to netting 205, and islikewise secured to front end wall 146. Door flap 215 overlaps doornetting 205 and opens from the top down along front edges 210A and 210B,using known fasteners, such as zippers, hook and loop strips, and thelike.

Door flap 215 may be made from the same material as the canopy andimportantly can be partially opened to the extent needed to allowventilation of the interior of the tent, while keeping out the elements.In severe rain or wind, a small opening can be left at the top of frontdoor entrance 145 to maintain air flow, which air flow is facilitated bythe chimney effect afforded by the funnel shaped interior of the tent,and still provide protection to prevent rain and other elements fromentering.

Rear door 160 can also be fashioned in a similar manner with doornetting 220 and door flap 225, although the door flap could beeliminated, if desired. Because the rear door would not generally beused as an entrance due to its small size, the netting could bepermanently attached between the roof and rear end wall 161. Doornetting 220 is preferably exterior to door flap 225. The overhangingroof at rear end 130 protects the rear door from rain and otherelements.

Loops may be provided near the upper, interior corner ends of the tentand at the upper ends of the door flaps to allow the loose ends of theflaps to hang, thereby removing some of the weight of the door flapsfrom the fasteners when partially opened. Loops may also be providedalong edges 210A and 210B and 210′A and 210′B at some height, such as12″ above the floor, where a line can be attached for drying clothes orhanging small items, such as a wrist watch, flashlight and the like.

Of course, the interior of the tent can vary depending on space andheadroom needed, as well as on the size of the tent desired. For aone-person, lightweight tent, the peak height at the door entrance isabout 36″, and at the rear door about 19″. The width of the base at thefront end is about 36″ and at the rear end about 24″, and the total baselength is about 81″. The front of the roof overhangs the base by abouttwo feet, and the rear of the roof overhangs the base by about one foot.Using 0.9 oz/yd² spinnaker cloth for the canopy and 1.1 oz/yd² siliconnylon for the floor, the tent would weigh approximately 15 oz, excludingpole, guy lines and stakes.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, it is contemplated that the present inventioncould include sidewalls 230A and 230B to increase the useable floorspace, which would be of greater importance for larger tents, such asthose accommodating two or more people. Sidewalls 230A and 230B would bea continuation of trapezoidal sides 110A and 110B, respectively, andjoined to floor 115. Again, floor 115 preferably tapers from the frontto the rear forming a trapezoid. The trapezoidal sides form a funnelshaped interior region. At front end 125, the bottom of the overhangwould preferably start at points 235A and 235B of sidewalls 230A and230B to achieve a more taut structure, without the need of usingadditional tie-out points and stakes. Similarly, the overhang wouldstart at points 240A and 240B of sidewalls 230A and 230B at rear end130.

A two-person tent would preferably have: approximately 5″ sidewalls; afront door entrance height of about 42″; and rear door height of about21″; a two foot overhang at the front end; a one foot overhang at therear end; the width of the base at the front end of approximately 62″and at the rear end about 42″; and the total base length of about 81″.Using 0.9 oz/yd² spinnaker cloth for the canopy, and 1.1 oz/yd² siliconnylon for the floor, the tent would weigh about 22 oz, excluding pole,guy lines and stakes.

Those skilled in the art will readily note that the present inventionprovides distinct advantages over currently available tents. Because theoverhanging roof is sloped, only a single vertical support member, suchas a pole, is needed. This reduces the weight of the poles required,and, if desired, eliminates the need to carry any poles, simplifyingsite selection and offering greater ease of assembly. And, the resultingfunnel shaped interior forces out moisture from the top opening at thefront end, as cooler air enters low at the rear end. The door flap(s),opening top down, can be opened to the extent needed to keep out theelements, while allowing good ventilation of the interior of the tent.Also, the overhang produces an awning that prevents rain and otherelements from entering the tent.

It should be understood that the embodiments herein are merelyillustrative of the principles of the invention. Various modificationsmay be made by those skilled in the art which will embody the principlesof the invention and fall within the scope thereof. For example, othercross section shapes for the interior of the tent may be used, insteadof a triangular one. Additionally, as newer waterproof materials thatare lighter and/or stronger become available, they could be substitutedfor those presently available. As such, for an appreciation of the truescope and breadth of the invention, reference should me made to thefollowing claims.

1. A lightweight tent comprising: a front door entrance including a doorflap that opens from the top down; and a canopy having first and secondcanopy sides meeting along a roof ridgeline sloping from the front endto the rear end of said canopy, the roof ridgeline overhanging at thefront end said front door entrance, with said front door entrancedisposed between the base of the tent and the roof ridgeline.
 2. Thelightweight tent of claim 1 wherein the roof ridgeline also overhangsthe base of the tent at the front end.
 3. The lightweight tent of claim1 wherein the base of the tent tapers from the front end to the rearend.
 4. The lightweight tent of claim 1 further comprising a floor thatcovers the base of the tent.
 5. The lightweight tent of claim 1 whereinsaid canopy at the front end includes front canopy edges tilting towardsthe roof ridgeline at an angle less than ninety degrees and extendingdown to the base of the tent.
 6. The lightweight tent of claim 1 whereinthe front door entrance includes netting.
 7. The lightweight tent ofclaim 1 further including a rear door disposed between the base of thetent and the roof ridgeline.
 8. The lightweight tent of claim 7 whereinthe roof ridgeline overhangs both the base of the tent and said reardoor.
 9. The lightweight tent of claim 8 wherein said canopy at the rearend includes rear canopy edges tilting towards the roof ridgeline at anangle less than ninety degrees and extending down to the base of thetent.
 10. The lightweight tent of claim 7 wherein the rear door includesnetting.
 11. The lightweight tent of claim 7 wherein the rear doorincludes a door flap that opens from the top down.
 12. The lightweighttent of claim 7 further including a rear end wall at the rear end of thecanopy.
 13. The lightweight tent of claim 1 further including a frontend wall at the front end of the canopy.
 14. A lightweight tentcomprising: a roof; a front door entrance including a flap that opensfrom the top down disposed between the base of the tent and said roof;and a canopy having first and second canopy sides meeting along a roofridgeline defining said roof, the roof ridgeline sloping from a frontend to a rear end, thereby forming a funnel shaped interior regionwithin the tent between the front and rear ends, said roof ridgelineoverhanging said front door entrance.
 15. The lightweight tent of claim14 wherein said roof ridgeline also overhangs the base of the tent atthe front end.
 16. The lightweight tent of claim 14 wherein the base ofthe tent tapers from the front end to the rear end.
 17. The lightweighttent of claim 14 further comprising a floor that covers the base of thetent.
 18. The lightweight tent of claim 14 wherein said canopy at thefront end includes front canopy edges tilting towards the roof ridgelineat an angle less than ninety degrees and extending down to the base ofthe tent.
 19. The lightweight tent of claim 14 wherein the front doorentrance includes netting.
 20. The lightweight tent of claim 14 furtherincluding a rear door disposed between the base of the tent and the roofridgeline.
 21. The lightweight tent of claim 20 wherein the roofridgeline overhangs both the base of the tent and said rear door. 22.The lightweight tent of claim 21 wherein said canopy at the rear endincludes rear canopy edges tilting towards the roof ridgeline at anangle less than ninety degrees and extending down to the base of thetent.
 23. The lightweight tent of claim 20 wherein the rear doorincludes netting.
 24. The lightweight tent of claim 20 wherein the reardoor includes a door flap that opens from the top down.
 25. Thelightweight tent of claim 14 further including a rear end wall at therear end of the canopy.
 26. The lightweight tent of claim 14 furtherincluding a front end wall at the front end of the canopy.
 27. Thelightweight tent of claim 14 in which the roof ridgeline at the frontend is supported by a first guy line secured to a point at or higherthan the peak of the roof ridgeline, and in which said roof ridgeline atthe rear end is secured to the ground by a second guy line.
 28. Thelightweight tent of claim 27 further including a pole located at or pastthe front peak of the tent, said first guy line secured to the peak ofthe pole.
 29. A lightweight tent comprising: a roof; left and rightsidewalls; a front door entrance disposed between the base of the tentand said roof, said front door entrance including a door flap that opensfrom the top down; and a canopy having first and second canopy sidesmeeting along a roof ridgeline defining said roof, the roof ridgelinesloping from a front end to a rear end, said first and second canopysides joined to said left and right sidewalls, respectively, therebyforming a funnel shaped interior region within the tent between saidfront and rear ends, said roof ridgeline overhanging both said frontdoor entrance at the front end.
 30. The lightweight tent of claim 29wherein the roof ridgeline also overhangs the base of the tent at thefront end.
 31. The lightweight tent of claim 29 wherein the base of thetent tapers from the front end to the rear end.
 32. The lightweight tentof claim 29 further comprising a floor that covers the base of the tent.33. The lightweight tent of claim 29 wherein said canopy at the frontend includes front canopy edges tilting towards the roof ridgeline at anangle less than ninety degrees and extending down to said sidewalls. 34.The lightweight tent of claim 29 wherein the front door entranceincludes netting.
 35. The lightweight tent of claim 29 further includinga rear door disposed between the base of the tent and the roofridgeline.
 36. The lightweight tent of claim 35 wherein the roofridgeline overhangs both said rear door and the base of the tent at therear end of the tent.
 37. The lightweight tent of claim 36 wherein saidcanopy at the rear end includes rear canopy edges tilting towards theroof ridgeline at an angle less than ninety degrees and extending downto said sidewalls.
 38. The lightweight tent of claim 35 wherein the reardoor includes netting.
 39. The lightweight tent of claim 35 wherein therear door includes a door flap that opens from the top down.
 40. Thelightweight tent of claim 29 further including a rear end wall at therear end of the canopy.
 41. The lightweight tent of claim 29 furtherincluding a front end wall at the front end of the canopy.
 42. Thelightweight tent of claim 29 in which the roof ridgeline at the frontend is supported by a first guy line secured to a point at or higherthan the peak of the roof ridgeline, and in which said roof ridgeline atthe rear end is secured to the ground by a second guy line.
 43. Thelightweight tent of claim 42 further including a pole located at or pastthe front peak of the tent, said first guy line secured to the peak ofthe pole.